Lessons From My Cat:
01/22/2015
Take time every day to relax
Cats are masters of self care—get plenty of rest, keep yourself clean, and avoid stress—find a quiet, peaceful hangout.
Animals have such a gift of being present in the moment. We fight our active “monkey brain” trying to shut it off and relax into what is happening in the here and now (even monkeys are much better at it than we are!) We think about the past and what we might have done differently, or worry about the future and what might happen IF...
We can never truly know and understand how animals perceive the world, but if we take time to observe them, they do seem to have their priorities in a different order than we do. They have no dreams of grandeur (my cats have already achieved that, just ask them), no great plans to save the world, they’ll just adapt along with the rest of nature. We share #1 Self-preservation - which includes food, water and safety from threats. After that for our domesticated companions, well, it’s a good time to nap, explore, practice hunting skills, and maybe enjoy some companionship from the human caregivers that take care of the rest. What a life!
While hanging out with my cats this winter, I have been doing some reading / re-reading ...
For more on what animals are thinking:
Unlocking the Animal Mind by Franklin McMillan, DVM
and the much heavier textbook version:
Mental Health and Well-Being in Animals edited by Franklin McMillan, DVM
Dr. McMillan discusses animal quality of life from lab animals to shelter animals and companion animals through the lens of the emotional well-being of animals, how they feel.
We know of the studies linking human health and healing to having companion animals in our lives, but the reverse is also true. McMillan talks about how we can improve our animals' health by supporting their emotional health along with their physical health. The connection between emotional health and physical health in humans is becoming more & more evident, and well, funny thing, that connection is there for animals too. We can reduce our blood pressure by reducing our stress levels, animals can help us with that, and we can help them de-stress and live healthier at the same time!
For sick animals, petting, rubbing their cheek, or even a whole body massage can stimulate those "feel-good" healing chemicals (endorphins!), which in turn can stimulate the immune response as well as other healing mechanisms within the body. Of course as with humans, animals are individuals and respond differently to touch due to many factors, from personality to early socialization, which affect their comfort level with physical touch. Respect that in your animals and just maybe, if you can develop that comfort and emotional connection with a gentle touch and voice while they are healthy, you may be able to help them when they are sick as well.